Narrating Localities

A collective exploration of place, perspective, and connection through printmaking

What happens when printmakers from across Asia come together in Sabah to explore and understand each other despite differences in borders, languages, and places?

Narrating Localities brings together nineteen artists and collectives from different regions for a week-long journey of learning, exploration and creation. Through field visits, creative collaboration and cultural exchange, from rural communities to urban encounters, the artists reflected on what it means to connect across differences.

The exhibition at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is the result of that exchange. It showcases individual pieces and a collaborative printmaking project developed during a hands-on workshop led by the Sabah-based collective Pangrok Sulap. The works offer glimpses into shared experiences, evolving perspectives and the power of collective craft.

If you're curious about printmaking or intercultural dialogue, or if you just want to see what happens when artists document a journey through shared practice, this exhibition is for you.

Curated by

Krystie Ng 吳君儀
Lee Chun Fung 李俊峰
Kenichiro Egami 江上賢一郎

Participating Artists & Collectives

A3BC (Tokyo)
Dis-Print Kultur (Bali)
East Asia Ecotopia (Busan/Seoul)
Jay Lau Ka Chun 劉家俊 (Hong Kong)
Jeremy Hiah 邢萬和 (Singapore)
Lam Lok San 林樂新 (Hong Kong)
Lilin 里林 (Hong Kong)
Li Ning Fung 李寧峰 (Hong Kong)
non (Hangzhou)
Ong Hieng Fuong 王賢豐 (Kuala Lumpur)
Pangrok Sulap (Sabah)
Prickly Paper 刺紙 (Guangzhou)
Printhow 點印社 (Hong Kong)
Printmaking for the People (Manila)
Rememher Group 刻木尋梅 (inter-regional)
Taring Padi (Yogyakarta)
The Lostprints Community (Kuala Lumpur)
Willy Chen Wei-lun 陳韋綸 (Taipei)
Woodcut Wavement 木刻波流 (Guangzhou)

Poster Design: moineau

Venue and Opening Hours

Azman Hashim UMS Gallery
Monday to Thursday: 9:00am - 12:30pm and 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Special Events

Opening Ceremony
Tuesday 15 July 2025, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Gallery Kaamatan & Kalimaran, GAH-UMS

Seminar
Wednesday 16 July 2025, 10:00am - 12:30pm
Auditorium, GAH-UMS

About the Azman Hashim Gallery

Designed by Tan Sri Azman Hashim, the Azman Hashim Gallery is an art space located within Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Its architecture is both rooted in its environment and distinctly Sabahan. The gallery aims to strengthen the artistic identity of Borneo while supporting education, creativity, and cultural exchange within the community.